Atalanta CEO Luca Percassi jokes that he and his colleagues ‘had to go hungry’ after Borussia Dortmund decided against attending a customary lunch before Wednesday evening’s Champions League play-off decider between the two teams. 

Before Champions League matches, it is tradition for the directors of the respective clubs to sit down over a lunch on the day of the game. 

This has not happened for either of the play-off matches between Atalanta and Dortmund, however, as there is still bad blood between the two sides following the transfer of teenager Samuele Inacio from Bergamo to the Bundesliga side in 2024. 

“Unfortunately, we did not have that lunch, so we went hungry,” shrugged Percassi during an interview with Sky Sport Italia before kick-off in Atalanta-Dortmund.

“We hoped they would take the opportunity to open up a dialogue, but that did not happen. We go forward.”

You can follow the action from Wednesday night’s Champions League games on the Football Italia Liveblog.

Percassi on Atalanta vs. Borussia Dortmund decider

Percassi went on to discuss the support that he has felt from the Atalanta fans heading into their Champions League decider against Dortmund. 

“From the moment we got on the bus at the Zingonia training camp to arrive in the city and reach the stadium, we felt the passion of the fans,” Percassi told Sky Sport Italia.

“That has been a decisive element for us, and it’s a pity that we have been unable to count on the supporters during away games recently. Hopefully we can dialogue with the institutions to face these problems, including the upcoming Coppa Italia semi-final, because football without its fans is not the same.”

And on the game itself, he added: “It is going to be a very difficult and complicated match, but we know how competitive the Champions League is. Getting a result this evening would be something historic, once again, for this club.

“It is already extraordinary that we are here, so we’ll enjoy this moment with the spirit of Atalanta, hoping to have no regrets.

“Every season, our approach does not change. The objective is to secure Serie A safety as quickly as possible, that is not just a phrase, it is how we genuinely think.

“Obviously, in recent years the capability for investment in recent years makes us hope for targets beyond that, but we see around the sport that big investments do not necessarily provide big results.

“They might let you sign important players who in theory make the difference, but they still have to settle with the rest of the team, and translate that investment into results on the field.

“We have great humility, because we know our status and where we come from. Last week, we played in one of the biggest stadiums in Europe, which holds 82,000 people, and you realise it’s a different reality to our own.

“We hope to make as few mistakes as possible, to keep our feet on the ground, remembering Atalanta achieved results in recent years precisely because we combined humility with ambition and determination.”

Jayden Addai’s 2025-26 season is expected to be over as Como have confirmed that he will require surgery to fix an achilles tendon injury that he suffered during Wednesday’s training session. 

Jayden Addai suffers season-ending achilles injury

The 19-year-old has had a stop-start beginning to life in Serie A after his €14m transfer from AZ Alkmaar during the summer transfer window. 

The teenager has three goals from 12 Serie A appearances to his name in Serie A, but has only made two substitute appearances in the league since mid-December after picking up a muscular injury that kept him out seven matches. 

Addai’s season is now expected to be over after picking up an injury to his achilles during Wednesday’s training session. Como have confirmed that he will require surgery, which will be scheduled in the coming days. 

“Como 1907 can confirm that Jayden Addai sustained an injury to the Achilles tendon in his left leg during today’s training session,” read a statement on the club website. 

“Following clinical and instrumental examinations, the diagnosis was confirmed. Surgery will be scheduled in the coming hours.”

Vincenzo Italiano insists that Bologna’s 1-0 advantage does not count for much at the midway stage of their Europa League play-off round tie against Norwegian side Brann: “I would say maybe we have a 51% chance of qualifying and them 49%.”

The Rossoblu will host Brann at the Dall’Ara for the second leg of their Europa League play-off round tie on Thursday evening. Italiano’s side have a slim, one-goal advantage thanks to a ninth minute goal from Santiago Castro in Bergen last week. 

Italiano previews Bologna vs. Brann second leg

Speaking during his pre-match press conference on Wednesday afternoon, Italiano warned that there is still plenty of work for Bologna to do in the second leg of their Europa League play-off decider. 

The challenge of facing a Norwegian side following Inter’s Champions League elimination at the hands of Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday night has also become a hot topic of discussion in the Bologna camp. 

When asked what he learned from Inter’s 5-2 aggregate loss against Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League, Italiano said: “That Norwegian football is growing rapidly and this is also shown by the growth of their national team. We’re ahead by one goal and I would therefore say maybe we have a 51% chance of qualifying and them 49%.

“We can’t underestimate anything and we have to take advantage of playing in our stadium, the atmosphere and this small advantage we got in Norway. Brann are a tactical, organised team and we need to face them with a lot of focus.” 

And when asked what he expects to see from Brann on Thursday evening, Italiano said: “I expect to face a team that will want to be daring and will try to raise the tempo to create problems for us. We have to take advantage of the opportunities that will arise. They know what they have to do with the ball and without it, we are prepared.” 

And on his own players, he added: “Heggem is called up. If necessary, he can come on but we hope he won’t be needed. Lykogiannis is stepping up his work and will be back soon. We lost Miranda in the final minutes against Udiense. We’re used to gritting our teeth. Tomorrow either Zortea or Joao Mario will play on the left.” 

And asked for an evaluation on Eivind Helland, who is not part of Bologna’s Europa League squad and is therefore ineligible to play tomorrow, Italiano said: “We will make use of him in the league. He’s an asset to Bologna. I’m sorry I don’t have him available in Europe, but that was the decision.” 

And on Federico Bernardeschi, Italiano said: “There’s still a room for him to return to a high level. He was showing himself constantly before the injury. He’s an animal. The injury slowed him down but now he’s returning to the version of himself we saw before the injury against Inter in the Supercoppa Italiana. 

“He has a lot of experience, he’s played in Europe, he won a European championship. The only thing we had to do with him is get him back in a good, athletic, physical condition. I think he can still grow in the next two and a half months.” 

Paolo Vanoli insists that Fiorentina will have an opportunity to improve in the second leg of their Conference League play-off match against Jagiellonia on Thursday evening, despite carrying a 3-0 advantage after the first leg in Poland last week. 

Vanoli previews Fiorentina vs. Jagiellonia second leg

Fiorentina will host Jagiellonia in the second leg of their Conference League play-off round tie on Thursday evening. The Viola already have one foot in the round of 16 after goals from Luca Ranieri, Rolando Mandragora and Roberto Piccoli gave them a 3-0 advantage away from home last week. 

Despite being the clear favourites to qualify, Vanoli insists that there is still plenty of room for improvement for his Viola side. 

“The most important thing is getting through the round, then the mentality of how we approach these sorts of games. We had an example against Polissya in the play-offs. I don’t want us to underestimate this game and at the same time we need continuity. Winning helps you win more,” Vanoli said during his pre-match press conference on Wednesday. 

“Every game is an opportunity to improve. Every team has its weaknesses, we have to improve and learn how to manage the final minutes better. Even against Pisa, Fazzo (Jacopo Fazzini) made a mistake towards the end and the opponents nearly equalised.” 

Vanoli confirmed that Fiorentina are clear from injuries heading into the second leg of their Jagiellonia tie. 

“Everyone will be available apart from those who aren’t on the squad list. We organised a friendly to give Rugani minutes,” he said.  

And giving his assessment of the upcoming opposition, Vanoli said: “I like how our opponents play. They press well. Watching them gives me new ideas. To me, international matches help me understand the innovations in football. 

“We played a great game in the first leg with a lot of focus, taking advantage of the opportunities they gave us. But they are well organised, they have a lot of good technical players and an interesting coach.” 

Vanoli was asked whether Thursday’s game might be an opportunity to test some of Fiorentina’s youngsters given that they are the clear favourites to qualify with a 3-0 advantage ahead of kick-off. 

He replied: “I come from a background in youth teams and I believe in them a lot. I proved that with Kouadio and Balbo. 

“When I have time to watch the Primavera, I like to take some of the guys with me to help them understand what I want and why, and why I want the grown-ups to set an example in training. When there is a small opportunity, I like to bring them on. I don’t look at their age, but at the good for Fiorentina.” 

Vanoli also gave his thoughts about the ‘underrated’ leagues around Europe and the improvement they have shown in UEFA competitions in recent years. 

“I think we’re underestimating international football and certain leagues abroad,” Vanoli said.  “Football is constantly changing all over the world. We have a league and a history which remains very difficult because the coaches are so well prepared, even if the league is no longer at the same level it used to be. 

“But, many leagues are developing and surprising me. Sometimes there is a bit of ignorance and underestimation. Jagiellonia will not have that certain level of quality, but they will have a lot of organisation. 

“The Premier League has improved through its coaches, technicians like Guardiola, Conte, Klopp; they have also benefitted their national team. For me, European matches are great experiences that help you grow. Tomorrow will be a game that helps us grow.” 

Inter’s Champions League campaign has come to an end after a 2-1 defeat at home against Bodo/Glimt, which sealed a 5-2 aggregate scoreline in the play-off round, but why did last season’s finalists find it so difficult against the Norwegian minnows? 

Inter already had their work cut out for them in the second leg of their Champions League play-off tie following their 3-1 defeat against Bodo/Glimt in Norway last week. 

That result left them needing a three-goal victory to qualify for the round of 16, but in the end, Cristian Chivu’s side were only good enough for a 2-1 defeat on home soil. Jens Petter Hauge and Hakon Evjen gave Bodo a 2-0 lead in the second half on Tuesday night, before a 70th minute consolation goal from Nerazzurri centre-back Alessandro Bastoni. 

Inter 1-2 Bodo/Glimt (agg. 2-5): The damage was already done

Of course, a large part of the reason why Inter failed to qualify for the Champions League round of 16 was because of their result against Bodo/Glimt in Norway last week. There were plenty of references to the artificial pitch and the sub-zero temperatures at the Aspmyra Stadion, which sits north of the arctic circle. 

There were also some questions over Cristian Chivu’s team selection during the first leg when he decided to rest the likes of Marcus Thuram and Federico Dimarco in order to have them fresh for a Serie A match against Lecce, when Inter were already seven points clear at the top of the domestic table. (The Nerazzurri have since gone 10 points clear after the weekend’s league matches). 

But still, Inter were expected to put Bodo/Glimt to the test when they visited the iconic San Siro on Tuesday evening, so why did the Nerazzurri fail to beat the Norwegians on the night? 

1. Absences and underperforming stars

The obvious excuse is to point to the star players that Inter did not have available. Captain and leading goalscorer Lautaro Martinez was injured during the first leg in Norway last week, Hakan Calhanoglu was not available in either fixture, and Denzel Dumfries was only fit enough for a 10-minute run out at the end of the second leg. 

Other stars, particularly Nicolo Baerlla, have come under criticism for their lack of form over the last few weeks and in the Bodo/Glimt matches specifically. 

La Gazzetta dello Sport have labelled Barella a ‘problem’ and point to the fact that his goal contributions appear to be diminishing year on year. 

2. Failure to break down the low block 

In credit to Chivu, there is not much more that his Inter players could have done during the first hour of the second leg against Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday night. During the first 60 minutes, Inter registered 23 shots, had 10 corners while Bodo had zero and registered a whopping 45 attacking moves compared to Bodo’s seven. 

However, what did become clear is that Inter did not find it easy attacking against a team that was content to deploy 11 players behind the ball in their own half in a low block. 

Inter needed to be that bit quicker and more incisive with their passing and movement in and around the final third, because despite the fact that they registered 33 shots after the 90 minutes, only six ended up on target. For comparison, Bodo/Glimt ended up with five shots on target from seven total attempts. 

3. A different pace to the game 

Questions have also been asked about Inter’s ability to match the pace and intensity of some of their European competitors.
As Fabio Capello recently explained to La Gazzetta dello Sport: “Italian teams play at a slow pace. When they find teams that play press-and-run, they don’t have the quality, aren’t accustomed to playing at a high pace, and make mistakes.” 

Bodo/Glimt were very compact in their defensive shape, but were also rapid in transition and were regularly able to trouble Inter with their speed with the likes of Patrick Berg, Hauge and Ole Didrik Blomberg. 

This is an issue that does not only affect Inter, but Italian football in general according to the experts. 

“Right now, we are not accustomed to being aggressive. As soon as they increase the pace in Serie A, they are stopped because a challenge is too hard, a player’s ear is touched, and they go down. These are the results,” said Capello. 

“We play at a slow pace, unfortunately, and when it happens, it’s hard to be dangerous.”

Juventus have confirmed that both Kenan Yildiz and Gleison Bremer will be available to face Galatasaray in the crucial second leg of their Champions League play-off round tie on Wednesday night. 

Luciano Spalletti has confirmed his squad of 22 Juventus players to take on Galatasaray in the second leg of their Champions League play-off round tie at the Allianz Stadium. 

The Bianconeri need a minor miracle to qualify for the round of 16 after falling to a 5-2 defeat against Galatasaray in Istanbul last week. They now require a victory by three goals if they are to keep their Champions League campaign alive and a victory by four goals if they are to qualify without going to a penalty shoot-out. 

Both Yildiz and Bremer are in the squad to face Galatasaray on Wednesday evening despite earlier doubts regarding their availability. Spalletti has confirmed that Yildiz is in contention to play from the off, but Bremer is less likely to be named in the starting XI. 

The Bianconeri are without Andrea Cambiaso and Juan Cabal through suspension, which means that Next Gen defenders Javier Gil Puche and Niccolo Rizzo have been called up to the matchday squad. 

Dusan Vlahovic and Arkadiusz Milik remain unavailable through injury. 

Kick-off is due at 20.00 GMT on Wednesday evening. 

Confirmed Juventus squad vs. Galatasaray 

Goalkeepers: Di Gregorio, Perin, Pinsoglio. 

Defenders: Bremer, Gatti, Kelly, Kalulu, Gil Puche, Rizzo. 

Midfielders: Locatelli, Koopmeiners, Boga, Adzic, Kostic, Thuram, Miretti, McKennie. 

Forwards: Conceicao, Yildiz, Zhegrova, Openda, David. 

I giocatori a disposizione di mister Spalletti per #JuveGalatasaray #UCL pic.twitter.com/bfPBSISZN1

— JuventusFC (@juventusfc) February 25, 2026

Galatasaray vice-President Abdullah Kavukcu has made no secret of the fact that Inter’s Hakan Calhanoglu remains a top target for the club after making a series of attempts for the Turkiye national team captain over the last two transfer windows: ‘I don’t know when, but I’m sure that one day he will play for us’.

Calhanoglu has been a target for Galatasaray in each of the last two transfer windows. 

Reports over the summer claimed that the Nerazzurri had turned down an offer of €17m for the recently-turned 32-year-old shortly after their Champions League final defeat against Paris Saint-Germain, but that fee was roughly half of Inter’s asking price, which was said to be in the region of €30m-€35m.

There were also reports that Galatasaray had improved on that offer during the January transfer window, lodging a bid reported to be worth €25m for Calhanoglu, but Inter were then unprepared to sell one of their key players midway through the season. 

What Galatasaray director said about interest in Calhanoglu

Despite being turned down twice, Galatasaray remain interested in a deal for Calhanoglu, who watched on from the stands as his teammates were eliminated from the Champions League at the hands of Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday night. 

Speaking in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport published on Wednesday, Galatasaray vice-President Abdullah Kavukcu made it clear that his club still has a strong interest in signing Calhanoglu from Inter. 

“Yes, we made another attempt for Calhanoglu (in Januuary),” Kavukcu said. “There was a discussion with Inter directors, but we were told that Hakan would not leave during the winter window. 

“We’ve never hidden our interest. Hakan is an icon of the Turkish national team and is a Galatasaray supporter. I don’t know when, but I’m sure that one day he will play for us.” 

Galatasaray vice-President Abdullah Kavukcu has warned Juventus that last week’s 5-2 victory in the Champions League was ‘not the result of luck’ and says that he is ‘sure’ that Inter midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu will play for the club at some stage in his career: ‘We’ve never hidden our interest’. 

The Galatasaray executive spoke in-depth to La Gazzetta dello Sport ahead of the second leg of their Champions League play-off round tie against Juventus at the Allianz Stadium on Wednesday night. 

Galatasaray thumped Juventus 5-2 in Istanbul last week, which leaves Luciano Spalletti’s side needing a victory by three goals to keep the tie alive and a victory by four goals if they are to avoid a penalty shoot-out. 

Galatasaray VP: ‘The 5-2 against Juventus was not the result of luck’ 

“The 5-2 against Juventus was not the result of luck,” Kavukcu told La Gazzetta dello Sport. “We want to raise the bar, we’re only at the beginning of our project,” he warned. 

Despite their enormous advantage at the half-way stage of the Champions League play-off tie, Kavukcu insists that there is still work to do against the Bianconeri on Wednesday night. 

“I’m aware of our strength, but Juve are still Juve and it will be difficult to defend the result at the Allianz Stadium,” he said. 

“Spalletti is a great coach and has real champions in his squad. If we scored five goals, it is thanks to our fans, who created a crazy atmosphere, and also thanks to those players who took to the pitch. We’re building a team of top players. We want to become the best in the world.

“It will take us a few years, but the project is well underway. Our fans are scattered all over the world, and players settle in quickly in Istanbul. When we present our plans to them, it’s difficult for them to say no to playing for us.” 

Among the star players of this current Galatasaray side is former Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, who joined the Turkish giants in a permanent, €75m deal last summer after spending the 2024-25 season on loan in Istanbul. 

“People talked about it like it was a crazy investment when we signed him. I think Victor has proved everyone wrong considering that his value has doubled. We know that he’s one of th best centre-forwards in the world and we want to achieve big goals together.” 

It is no secret that Galatasaray have been eyeing another Serie A star to add to their ranks. Inter midfielder and Turkiye national team captain Calhanoglu has been the subject of interest from Galatasaray in several of the recent transfer windows. 

The most recent approach for Calhanoglu came in January. 

“Yes, we made another attempt for Calhanoglu,” Kavukcu said. “There was a discussion with Inter directors, but we were told that Hakan would not leave during the winter window. 

“We’ve never hidden our interest. Hakan is an icon of the Turkish national team and is a Galatasaray supporter. I don’t know when, but I’m sure that one day he will play for us.”

Juventus are preparing to take on Galatasaray in the second leg of their Champions League play-off round tie on Wednesday evening, but Luciano Spalletti’s side need a minor miracle if they are to overturn the 5-2 defeat they suffered in Istanbul last week. 

Here is how much qualification for the round of 16 is worth for the Old Lady. 

Juventus finished the Champions League league phase in 12th place, which was enough to secure a spot in the play-offs where they were drawn against Galatasaray. They trail 5-2 at the half-way stage of that tie, and need to win by three goals to keep the tie alive or to win by four goals to avoid a penalty shoot-out when they host the Turkish giants at the Allianz Stadium on Wednesday night. 

How much have Juventus earned from Champions League campaign so far? 

According to reports from Calcio e Finanza, Juventus have already pocketed around €64m from this season’s Champions League campaign. That breaks down as follows: 

• Participation fees: €18.62m
• Value pillar: €17.76m European share, €9.34m non-European share 
• League phase bonus: €7.23m
• Bonuses for victories and draws: €9.1m
• 9th-16th place bonus: €1m
• Play-off round bonus: €1m

Qualifying for the round of 16 alone will be worth an additional €11m, and qualifying for the next round opens up another €65m in potential prize money. 

Here is how much qualification for each upcoming round of the Champions League is worth: 

• Round of 16 bonus: €11m
• Quarter-final bonus: €12.5m
• Semi-final bonus €15m
• Losing finalist: €18.5m, Winning finalist: €25m

Inter have earned in excess of €70m from their 2025-26 Champions League campaign, but the Nerazzurri earned over €60m less than they did last season following Tuesday evening’s elimination by Bodo/Glimt in the play-off round. Here’s the full breakdown of Inter’s earnings from this season’s competition. 

Inter were beaten 2-1 by Bodo/Glimt in San Siro on Tuesday evening in the second leg of their Champions League play-off round tie. They also lost 3-1 in Norway last week, which meant an eventual 5-2 aggregate scoreline. 

This is the first time in five seasons, dating back to the 2020-21 campaign, that Inter have failed to qualify for the Champions League round of 16. 

How much did Inter earn from 2025-26 Champions League? 

All told, Inter earned just over €71m from Champions League participation fees and prize money. The breakdown of those earnings is as follows: 

• Participation fees: €18.62m 
• Value pillar: €23.37m European share, €8.65m non-European share 
• League phase bonus: €8.13m
• Bonuses for victories and draws: €10.5m
• 9th-16th place bonus: €1m
• Play-off round bonus: €1m

This is, however, around €65m less than Inter earned in 2024-25 when they went all the way to the final, where they lost 5-0 to Paris Saint-Germain. Last season’s Champions League earnings came to a total of €136m. 

Beating Bodo/Glimt over two legs of the play-off round would have been worth an additional €11m to Inter this season. 

On top of the €71m that they did earn in 2025-26, here is how much the Nerazzurri would have earned from each following round of the competition had they beaten Bodo/Glimt in the play-offs: 

• Round of 16 bonus: €11m
• Quarter-final bonus: €12.5m
• Semi-final bonus €15m
• Losing finalist: €18.5m, Winning finalist: €25m

Reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport claim that Juventus are interested in a deal for Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker as a potential replacement for the unconvincing Michele Di Gregorio. 

Gazzetta: Juventus interested in Alisson as well as Vicario

Di Gregorio has come under criticism after a string of errors and underwhelming performances between the sticks for Juventus in 2025-26. There have been reports that the Bianconeri could seek to bring in a new stopper during the 2026-27 season as a result. 

Juventus had been interested in a move for Mike Maignan, who had entered the final few months of his contract before signing a long-term extension with Milan in January. 

There have since been reports that the Bianconeri are interested in a deal for Tottenham’s Guglielmo Vicario, who is expected to cost somewhere in the region of €25m. 

Now, according to reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport, Juventus are interested in a potential deal for former Roma goalkeeper Alisson, whose time with Liverpool may be coming to an end. 

The 33-year-old is under contract with Liverpool until the summer of 2027, but the reigning Premier League champions have already brought in a replacement in Giorgi Mamardashvili, who agreed to join the club in 2024 and has been waiting patiently in the wings since his arrival in the summer of 2025. 

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the fact that Alisson will have less than a year remaining on his contract and the fact that Liverpool already have a replacement in the building are factors that could help Juventus if they decide to proceed with a move for the 76-time Brazil international. 

There is also a pre-existing relationship between Alisson and Juventus head coach Luciano Spalletti from their time together at Roma.

Jurgen Klinsmann has given his verdict ahead of Inter’s Champions League play-off round second leg against Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday evening, and has reflected on his own experiences of overturning a two-goal deficit in Europe with the Nerazzurri. 

Inter fell to a 3-1 defeat in the first leg of their Champions League play-off tie against Bodo/Glimt last week, and will now need to win by at least two goals to keep the fixture alive in San Siro on Tuesday night. 

Klinsmann on Inter memories, Bodo/Glimt challenge and Esposito growth

Klinsmann knows full well what it is like to go into the second leg of a European match looking to overturn a two-goal deficit. Back in 1990, he and his Nerazzurri teammates responded to a 2-0 UEFA Cup loss against Aston Villa by winning 3-0 in San Siro in the reverse fixture. 

“It’s one of the games I’ll never forget, the biggest comeback of my career,” Klinsmann told La Gazzetta dello Sport. 

“After the first leg, nobody thought that we wouldn’t make it, in fact we were all convinced. You always have to start from there, from the optimism that convinces you to do great things. 

“The rest of the credit goes to the supporters in the stadium, because it was a simply incredible atmosphere. It was one of the most energetic matches I’ve ever been part of. I still remember the supporters waving all those flags.” 

Klinsmann believes that the current Inter squad could learn a few lessons from that famous night back in 1990. 

“It teaches you that you have to be patient and that you don’t necessarily have to score all the goals straight away. I scored one early, but we had to wait until midway through the second half for Berti’s second. Then, a little while later came that fabulous goal from Alessandro Bianchi. The roar was incredible.” 

Klinsmann believes that a lot of credit must go to the development of Norwegian football after Bodo/Glimt’s 3-1 victory over Inter last week. 

“Norwegian football has had an incredible development over the last 10 years. We don’t talk about it enough, but they will be the surprise team at the World Cup. There might be more experienced national teams who might win the whole thing, but Norway has everything to go the distance. Bodo/Glimt represents this movement very well.” 

Klinsmann believes it would be a mistake to underestimate Bodo/Glimt for a second time. 

“The biggest mistake would be to treat them as beginners,” he said. “They won’t be intimidated because they’re an excellent team with good results in Europe. They’re not just strong at home, they have the quality to give Inter trouble in Milan as well. 

“They will have to attack a lot, but without exposing themselves because they know how to punish you from the first opportunity.” 

Inter will have to do it without captain and leading centre-forward Lautaro Martinez, who is unavailable through injury on Tuesday night. Klinsmann is full of praise for the man who is expected to replace him, Pio Esposito, though. 

“Pio has already established himself, regardless of the role that he will have until the end of the season, whether that’s coming on or starting from the off. This guy has made it clear what he’s made of. 

“We hope that he is the man of destiny for our qualification, but we hope more than anything that he can grow even further. Finally, a strong Italian who gets a chance on the pitch. 

“I like him because he doesn’t know fear and he always has the right level of trust. If he misses, he is only ever frustrated with himself and not the teammate who passed him the ball. He can drag his team despite being 20 years old. But I expect the same leadership from other Inter players as well.” 

Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio has been forced to disable the comments section on his social media profiles after he and his family were subjected to threats and abuse after a series of sub-par performances for the Bianconeri. 

Di Gregorio subjected to threats and abuse after Juventus errors

The month of February has not been kind to Juventus, who have lost four of their last five matches across all competitions: A 3-0 Coppa Italia exit at the hands of Atalanta, a controversial 3-2 defeat against rivals Inter in the Derby d’Italia, a 5-2 thumping by Galatasaray in the Champions League and a 2-0 defeat at home against Como in Serie A most recently. 

Goalkeeper Di Gregorio has also earned his fair share of criticism after a series of poor performances between the posts. 

There have been various matches this season in which Juventus have conceded goals that Di Gregorio should have prevented, including against Inter, Borussia Dortmund, Sporting CP, Fiorentina, Lazio, Galatasaray and Como. 

The disappointing displays from the Juventus stopper have led to his receiving various insults and threats on social media. Some have called him an ‘Interista’ given that he was born in Milan and spent almost 20 years on the Nerazzurri books as a youngster. Others have called him a ‘liability’ and others have referred to him as a ‘piece of sh**’. 

According to various outlets on Tuesday morning, Di Gregorio has also received more serious threats to himself and his family, which has led him to disable the comments section on his Instagram profile. 

Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni recently took the same measure after being subjected to abuse from ‘fans’ after the controversial Derby d’Italia between the Nerazzurri and Juventus earlier this month.

Former Italy national team head coach Cesare Prandelli believes that Juventus should sign ‘at least two’ of three Italy internationals currently playing in the Premier League during the next summer transfer window. 

The ex-Italy and Fiorentina head coach spoke in-depth to La Gazzetta dello Sport in an interview published on Tuesday, discussing all things Juventus ahead of their Champions League play-off round second leg against Galatasaray coming up on Wednesday evening. 

• Read more: Prandelli believes Juventus will overturn Galatasaray: ‘Why not?’

Prandelli recommends Juventus sign Calafiori

Among the topics of discussion with Prandelli was Juventus’s potential transfer targets for the next summer transfer window. 

He believes that Juve should focus on bringing in a more Italian core, and believes that they should be targeting some of the biggest names that the Azzurri have to offer. 

“At least two of Tonali, Donnarumma and Calafiori,” Prandelli told La Gazzetta dello Sport. 

He believes that there is still business to do in-house before the summer transfer window arrives, though. 

“After strengthening with Yildiz, I would immediately renew Spalletti, Vlahovic and McKennie if I were at the club. A way of saying: ‘there’s the base, we’ll come to the rest later’.” 

One of those recommendations looks set to be completed in the near future, as reports from multiple outlets on Tuesday suggest that Weston McKennie is just a step away from putting pen to paper on a new and improved contract extension in Turin.

Former Italy national team head coach Cesare Prandelli believes that Juventus have what it takes to overturn their 5-2 deficit against Galatasaray in the Champions League play-off round second leg on Wednesday evening, and believes that Luciano Spalletti can be the Cristiano Ronaldo for this current Bianconeri side. 

The Old Lady are preparing to take on Galatasaray in the second leg of their Champions League play-off round tie on Wednesday evening, and need a minor miracle to make up for the 5-2 defeat they suffered in Istanbul last week. Juventus will need to win by three goals to keep the tie alive and will need to win by four goals if they are to avoid a penalty shootout. 

This is a major week for Juventus’s season, given that they will also have to take on Roma in a six-pointer in the race for the Champions League spots in Serie A on Sunday. The Bianconeri are currently in fifth place in the Serie A standings, four points shy of a spot in the Champions League positions. 

Prandelli previews Juventus vs. Galatasaray and Roma

Speaking in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Prandelli explained that he is quietly confident that Juventus will be able to turn things around against Galatasaray on Tuesday night. 

“Scoring three or four goals against Osimhen and his teammates without conceding will be difficult, but after the first leg in Istanbul, who would have imagined Galatasaray scoring three goals in 45 minutes against the Bianconeri? Spalletti’s team can do it, why not,” said Prandelli.  

“If they take the lead in the first 20 minutes, the psychological aspect changes.” 

The last time that the Bianconeri pulled off a Champions League comeback of a similar scale was when Cristiano Ronaldo provided a hat-trick to help Juve to a 3-2 aggregate victory over Atletico Madrid in the 2018-19 round of 16. 

Asked who could be Juventus’s Ronaldo on this occasion, Prandelli said: “Spalletti. He doesn’t take to the pitch, but he’s the one with the most experience and charisma. I don’t expect him to come up with any new ideas, I think he will focus on his most reliable players.

“Galatasaray and Roma are two games which will make Juventus play for their season, and as for many of the players, their futures as well.” 

Prandelli was asked whether Spalletti might consider resting some of his key players against Galatasaray in order to focus on the upcoming Serie A six-pointer against Roma. 

“No,” Prandelli said. “The match against Galatasaray should be seen as the most important of all, you can’t have two doubts about it. Coming back in the Champions League would give them momentum heading into the Stadio Olimpico.” 

There is also a financial element to consider, given that qualification to the Champions League round of 16 will be worth around €15m for Juventus, while a fourth-place finish in Serie A will be worth around €60m.

“The coach makes technical evaluations, not economic ones,” Prandelli said. And if the directors gave the team this added pressure, they would be administrators and not footballing people. Talk of money should stay out of it.” 

Inter will attempt to overturn a 3-1 deficit in the second leg of their Champions League play-off round tie against Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday evening, but how much will the Nerazzurri receive if they are to pull off an impressive comeback in San Siro? 

Inter find themselves needing to win by two goals if they are to keep their Champions League tie against Bodo/Glimt alive, and a victory by three goals if they are to avoid a penalty shootout. 

Cristian Chivu’s side were beaten 3-1 in the arctic circle last week after goals from Sondre Brunstad Fet, Jens Petter Hauge and Kasper Hogh. Pio Esposito came up with the only goal for the Nerazzurri. 

How much is the Champions League round of 16 worth for Inter? 

According to calculations made by Calcio e Finanza, beating Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday evening and qualifying for the Champions League round of 16 will be worth around €11m for Inter. 

That adds to a figure of around €71m that Inter have already pocketed from this season’s Champions League campaign. 

Here is the breakdown of the €71m that Inter have earned in Europe already this season. 

• Participation fees: €18.62m 
• Value pillar: €23.37m European share, €8.65m non-European share 
• League phase bonus: €8.13m
• Bonuses for victories and draws: €10.5m
• 9th-16th place bonus: €1m
• Play-off round bonus: €1m

Former Inter head coach Andrea Stramaccioni has had his say on Inter’s upcoming Champions League play-off round second leg against Bodo/Glimt and has explained what Cristian Chivu’s side need to do to overturn the 3-1 deficit against the Norwegian outfit. 

Inter head into the second leg of their Champions League tie against Bodo/Glimt requiring a victory by at least two goals to keep the tie alive. The Nerazzurri will need to win by three goals if they wish to avoid a penalty shootout. 

The winner of tonight’s tie will progress to the Champions League round of 16. 

Stramaccioni on Inter vs. Bodo/Glimt: ‘San Siro is always an advantage’ 

Speaking in an in-depth interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, former Nerazzurri head coach Stramaccioni explained what Inter need to do if they aere to overturn the 3-1 deficit against Bodo/Glimt. 

“By playing as Inter, by showing conviction of their ideas and the quality of the team that is currently dominating Serie A,” he explained. 

Despite the fact that captain Lautaro Martinez picked up an injury during the first leg and will be unavailable on Tuesday evening, Stramaccioni believes that Chivu will have no issues in terms of his formation or personnel. 

“There should be no tactical upheaval,” he said. “And additionally, the win in Lecce and the defeats from Milan and Napoli means that Chivu has the peace of mind to choose his best XI. 

“He was missing Dimarco and one of his playmakers in the first leg, two effects which also meant he had to ‘sacrifice’ Barella by playing him deeper.”

And after braving the arctic conditions at Bodo/Glimt’s Aspmyra Stadion last week, it is now down to Inter to prove what they are capable of doing on their own turf. 

“San Siro is and will always be an advantage for Inter,” said Stramaccioni. “It will be a very intense atmosphere. 

“As for the grass and the temperature, that certainly had an impact in the first leg, as it did against Manchester City and other illustrious victims who fell in Norway. 

“But, be careful because Bodo aren’t just like that on their own pitch: Exactly one month ago, they went and won against Atletico in Madrid with the exact same starting XI.” 

This is not expected to be a walk in the park for Inter. There are still ways in which Bodo/Glimt can hurt the Nerazzurri, as Stramaccioni explains: “Those who watch Inter know that in this part of the season without Dumfries, the area between the wing-back and the defender on the right of the back three has often been more vulnerable. 

“Hogh is Bodo’s most important player. The Dane has had enquiries from the Premier League and perfectly embodies Knutsen’s style of play. Skilled at playing from deep but also quick in tight spaces. Almost all of Bodo’s attacks go through him. Five goals and three assists in the Champions League testify to that.” 

And how will Inter cope without talisman Lautaro at centre-forward?

“Without Lautaro, Thuram has the experience and international charisma to lead the attack in a game that Inter have to approach in a big way. Pio and Bonny will alternate depending on Chivu’s reading of the game, as it was against Lecce.

“These are games that you have to approach with intensity, but also manage with calm and experience. We have to attack with energy and rhythm while always staying in the game.

“They can’t have a repeat of the second half in Bodo. They need to be ferocious i their marking and minimise their ability to play on transition. I’m convinced it won’t be easy, but if Inter play like Inter, they will overturn it.” 

Weston McKennie’s future appears to be settled, as multiple outlets in Italy are reporting that he is all set to put pen to paper on a new and improved contract extension with Juventus. 

Juventus and McKennie have new contract agreement

The versatile USMNT star is currently due to be out of contract at the end of the 2025-26 season, but is not expected to walk away from the club on a free transfer at the end of the campaign. 

According to the likes of La Gazzetta dello Sport and Tuttosport, the parties have an agreement in place over a new and improved contract extension for McKennie, which will run until the summer of 2030. 

According to Tuesday’s reports, McKennie will earn around €4m per season in wages on his new contract. 

Tuttosport claims that the American will receive just over €4m with bonuses included on the first  year of his deal, and La Gazzetta dello Sport adds that his salary will increase slightly with each passing year on his contract. 

Juventus have a busy week coming up with Champions League and Serie A matches against Galatasaray and Roma respectively, and an announcement regarding McKennie’s new deal is likely to come after the game against the Giallorossi this weekend according to Tuesday’s reports. 

The new deal for McKennie comes just a few weeks after Juventus handed a new contract to posterboy Kenan Yildiz, who is now among the highest earners at the club.

Cristian Chivu appears set to name his strongest available XI as Inter look to overturn a 3-1 deficit in the second leg of their Champions League play-off round tie against Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday evening. 

The Nerazzurri did not finish the Champions League league phase among the top eight and have therefore found themselves in the play-off round along with Juventus and Atalanta. They were beaten 3-1 in Bodo, north of the arctic circle, on Wednesday night. 

Inter still have several major absentees through injury, most notably captain Lautaro Martinez, who suffered a strain to his calf during the first leg against Bodo/Glimt and is expected to be sidelined for another few weeks. Hakan Calhanoglu is also expected to be unavailable on Tuesday night. 

Denzel Dumfries is available, but has not featured since November and is therefore unlikely to start in this crucial Champions League decider. 

According to Sky Sport Italia, Pio Esposito and Marcus Thuram will be the go-to centre-forwards in the absence of captain Lautaro. 

Nicolo Barella is expected to start in midfield after serving a one-match suspension in Serie A over the weekend. Piotr Zielinski is likely to keep his place at the base of the midfield instead of Calhanoglu, and Sky Sport Italia suggests that Henrikh Mkhitaryan will complete the midfield. 

Kick-off is due at 20.00 GMT. 

Inter vs. Bodo/Glimt: Probable line-ups 

Inter (3-5-2): Sommer; Bisseck, Akanji, Bastoni; L.Henrique, Barella, Zielinski, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Thuram, Esposito. 

Bodo/Glimt (4-3-3): Haikin; Sjovold, Bjortuft, Gundersen, Bjorkan; Evjen, Berg, Brunstad Fet; Blomberg, Hogh, Hauge.

Where to watch Inter vs. Bodo/Glimt

Tonight’s game will be available to watch live in the UK on TNT Sports 1 and online through Discovery+. Supporters in the USA are able to tune in via Paramount+. 

Join us for all the pre-match build-up, in-game coverage and post-match reactions on the Football Italia Liveblog.

La Gazzetta dello Sport 

In with the goals 

Champions League: Inter looking for the comeback against Bodo

 From Dimarco to Pio Esposito: All of Chivu’s cards on the table to overturn the 3-1 and qualify for the round of 16 

McKennie signs for Juve until 2030 

Needs a big turnaround against Galatasaray tomorrow

Loftus, what a blow! 

Operated on the jaw, out for two months 

Rocchi to Milan: It wasn’t a penalty

Napoli fury 

The controversy from Bergamo

De Laurentiis, message to Gravina: Problem with referees needs to be resolved 

Torino to d’Aversa for the rest of the season 

Change in the dugout: Baroni sacked 

Corriere dello Sport 

Bodo or bust  

Champions League pride | Playing for our reputation in Europe over the next two days 

Inter for the comeback: Needs a victory by three goals 

Chivu wants to take them through to the round of 16: ‘We can overturn the 1-3 scoreline, but going out wouldn’t be an embarrassment’. With Thuram at 20.00. Dumfries returns

‘The goal was good!’ 

Botched refereeing: Napoli’s goal should have been awarded 

For Rocchi, the contact between Hojlund and Hien was a physical accident. One round out for Chiffi, who will be the VAR for Real Madrid-Benfica tomorrow, and will go up against Mo again following their clashes from his time at Roma.

Spalletti, a poker to eliminate Osi 

Juve-Galatasaray tomorrow

Scamacca and Samadrdzic dreaming of a masterpiece 

Atalanta-Borussia Dortmund tomorrow

Prestianni suspended, Mou stays silent 

Real Madrid-Benfica tomorrow

Viola reviving, Bologna are eighth 

Two narrow victories 

Kean beats Pisa (1-0) and catches up with Lecce and Cremonese, Bernardeschi from the penalty spot to see off Udinese (1-0).

Baroni sacked: Torino to d’Aversa 

After the loss at Marassi 

Only four points in the last eight games, Contract until the end of June for the new coach, debut against Lazio

Tuttosport 

McKennie: Here’s the hand 

Juve: first ant-crisis talks: The renewal of Wes is coming

The American is a key player for Spalletti, who was won over by his versatility. The background behind Vlahovic’s reopening. Shocking insults and threats: Di Gregorio asks for calmness. Galatasaray tomorrow: Bremer probably a no, Yildiz maybe yes 

‘Juve, you can do it against Galatasaray. Yildiz needs … Dusan’ 

Montella exclusive

D’Aversa, the choice of desperation 

The new coach, called in to avoid Serie B, with Toro until the end of June

After constantly defending him and deflecting critics, Cairo sacks Baroni as well and signs the only coach prepared to take on this Granata reality: Signed for four months. The supporters: ‘How many will be sacked, Mr President?’ 1-0 in Pisa: Fiorentina -3 behind 

Chivu high tension, and Bodo provoke: ‘Inter not very clever’ 

Two goals for the comeback in San Siro 

The Nerazzurro coach clashes with a Norwegian journalist: ‘An embarrassment if we get knocked out? Disrespectful’. Knutsen, the rival head coach, cries: ‘City didn’t complain about the artificial pitch. And talking of the cold …’ Here’s Dumfries again

Federico Bernardeschi fired Bologna into a 1-0 victory at home against Udinese in Serie A on Monday evening as a lengthy VAR check resulted in a surprising penalty being awarded in favour of the Rossoblu at the Dall’Ara. 

Click here to see how today’s teams lined up.

Tommaso Pobega registered the game’s first shot on target 35 minutes in with a relatively tame effort from distance, which Maduka Okoye had no issue with claiming. 

Santiago Castro also decided to test the Udinese stopper with a powerful striker from over 30 yards out a few minutes later. Okoye didn’t catch it cleanly, but still had enough space and time to clear up the spill. 

Udinese came close to conceding from a defensive disaster when Christian Kabasele fell asleep and failed to clear a loose ball at the back, which allowed Riccardo Orsolini to slip in one-on-one. Fortunately for the visitors, the Bologna forward didn’t connect properly with the ball and Jordan Zemura pulled out an excellent goalline block from Jonathan Rowe’s follow-up. 

Bologna eventually broke the deadlock through Bernardeschi from the penalty spot in the 75th minute. The decision to award the spot-kick was not particularly straightforward, though. 

Initially, a free-kick had been awarded right on the edge of the penalty area for a foul on Castro.

There were not any major protests from the Bologna team, the Udinese wall had been set up and the Rossoblu players looked like they were preparing to pull out a set-piece routine, but referee Matteo Marcenaro overturned the decision two minutes later and gave a penalty instead. 

It was Jesper Karlstrom who had committed the offence, and replays showed that he had initiated contact, albeit only slightly, inside the penalty, which continued into the D. 

Bernardeschi stepped up and sent his penalty to his left, sending Okoye the wrong way in the process. 

This was enough for Bologna to claim all three points, which means they are now back up to eighth place in the Serie A table on 36 points from 26 matches. Udinese remain in 11th with 32 points to their name. 

Bologna 1-0 Udinese 

Bernardeschi 75’. 

23-02-2026 19:45

MatchDay 26

Renato Dall'Ara Stadium

Bologna

Udinese

1 - 0

Player statistic

2nd half

		62'		Adam Buksa
Juan Miranda		68'
Federico Bernardeschi		75'

Match statistic

46

Possession %

54

11

Total shots

10

6

Shots on target

3

3

Shots off target

3

2

Blocked shots

4

4

Corners

7

3

Offsides

3

10

Fouls

13

Bologna

Udinese

Starting lineups

1

Lukasz Skorupski

Goalkeeper

26

Jhon Lucumí

Defender

17

João Mário

Defender

33

Juan Miranda

Defender

82'

41

Martin Vitik

Defender

11

Jonathan Rowe

Midfielder

56'

8

Remo Freuler

Midfielder

23

Simon Sohm

Midfielder

4

Tommaso Pobega

Midfielder

56'

7

Riccardo Orsolini

Attacker

56'

9

Santiago Castro

Attacker

85'

40

Maduka Okoye

Goalkeeper

27

Christian Kabasele

Defender

80'

33

Jordan Zemura

Defender

19

Kingsley Ehizibue

Defender

28

Oumar Solet

Defender

10'

31

Thomas Kristensen

Defender

14

Arthur Atta

Midfielder

24

Jakub Piotrowski

Midfielder

8

Jesper Karlström

Midfielder

80'

10

Nicolò Zaniolo

Midfielder

18

Adam Buksa

Attacker

71'

Substitutes

29

Lorenzo De Silvestri

Defender

16

Nicolò Casale

Defender

13

Federico Ravaglia

Goalkeeper

21

Jens Odgaard

Attacker

19

Lewis Ferguson

Midfielder

25

Massimo Pessina

Goalkeeper

5

Eivind Helland

Defender

10

Federico Bernardeschi

Attacker

56'

28

Nicolò Cambiaghi

Attacker

56'

6

Nikola Moro

Midfielder

56'

20

Nadir Zortea

Defender

82'

24

Thijs Dallinga

Attacker

85'

93

Daniele Padelli

Goalkeeper

1

Alessandro Nunziante

Goalkeeper

15

Vakoun Bayo

Attacker

38

Lennon Miller

Midfielder

29

Abdoulaye Camara

Midfielder

20

Juan Arizala

Defender

22

Branimir Mlacic

Defender

13

Nicolò Bertola

Defender

10'

32

Jurgen Ekkelenkamp

Midfielder

71'

6

Oier Zarraga

Midfielder

80'

7

Idrissa Gueye

Attacker

80'

Milan have recently expressed their frustrations to the Italian refereeing association (AIA), but this has not had much of an effect, as the Rossoneri feel that four major decisions have gone against them during their last two Serie A matches. 

Milan slipped to a surprise 1-0 loss at home against Parma on Sunday evening, their first league defeat since the opening weekend of the 2025-26 season. They remain in second place, but now find themselves 10 points shy of league leaders Inter. 

Milan have recently been in contact with the AIA to express their frustrations about recent calls that have gone against them, but according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Rossoneri decided against making a formal complaint to the AIA after the Parma match.

Still, they feel that another two decisions went against them during Sunday’s 1-0 loss against Parma.  

Which refereeing decisions have angered Milan?

The first incident in question is the lack of punishment for Parma goalkeeper Edoardo Corvi following the collision that led Ruben Loftus-Cheek to be stretchered off and needing surgery on his jaw. 

Replays showed that Corvi did not get to the ball, which was headed clear by defender Emmanuele Valeri, but that he did make clear and forceful contact with Loftus-Cheek, who lost several teeth during the incident, but has since been discharged from hospital after suffering a fractured alveolar bone. 

Milan were also annoyed by the decision to award Parma’s Mariano Troilo’s goal, which put the Rossoneri 1-0 down in the 80th minute. 

The on-field decision had been to disallow the goal for an attacking foul on Davide Bartesaghi in the Milan area, but referee Marco Piccinini was later referred to the VAR screen and subsequently overturned his decision, handing Parma the lead with 10 minutes to go. 

As per La Gazzetta dello Sport, Piccinini had not made a clear and obvious error in his decision to disallow Troilo’s goal, and therefore it should not have been an incident for VAR to review. 

Aside from the Parma match, Milan feel that they were also hard done by in their recent 1-1 draw with Como. 

They feel that Como head coach Cesc Fabregas should have been sent off for interfering with Alexis Saelemaekers while the game was being played, and that Ignace van der Brempt should have also seen red for a bad tackle on Strahinja Pavlovic, which left the Serbian injured while the Belgian went away unpunished.

Nicolo Rovella is facing several months on the sidelines as Lazio have confirmed that the midfielder has undergone surgery to fix a fractured collar bone he suffered during Saturday’s 0-0 draw against Cagliari. 

Rovella withdrew after 59 minutes of Lazio’s 0-0 stalemate against Cagliari at the Unipol Domus on Saturday afternoon with what was later confirmed to be a fracture to his clavicle, otherwise known as his collar bone. 

Lazio have confirmed in a statement on Monday evening that the four-time Italy international has had surgery to repair the damage and that the procedure was ‘perfectly successful’. 

Rovella will begin a personalised recovery programme within the next few days, and reports in Italy suggest that it will take him around two months before he is in a position to return to competitive first-team action. 

This means that Rovella will likely miss out on Lazio’s upcoming fixtures against Torino, Atalanta in the Coppa Italia, Sassuolo, Milan, Bologna, Parma, Fiorentina and Napoli. 

What Lazio said about Rovella injury 

S.S. Lazio announces that Nicolò Rovella underwent surgical intervention this afternoon for the reduction and osteosynthesis of a fracture to his right collarbone, sustained during the match played in Cagliari,” read a statement on Monday evening. 

“The procedure was perfectly successful. The player will begin the specific rehabilitation program in the coming days, under the constant monitoring of the biancoceleste medical staff.”

Moise Kean registered his third Serie A goal in as many games to lift Fiorentina out of the relegation zone with a 1-0 victory over local rivals Pisa on Monday evening. 

Fiorentina made several alterations to their starting line-up following Thursday evening’s 3-0 victory over Jagiellonia in the Conference League play-off round first leg, with Kean, Manor Solomon, Nicolo Fagioli and Marco Brescianini among the players to return to the Viola XI. Pisa made just two changes following their 2-1 defeat against Milan last weekend, with Samuel Iling-Junior and Marius Marin coming into the XI in place of Matteo Tramoni and Michel Aebischer. 

Click here to read more about how today’s teams lined up.

Fiorentina were the better of the Tuscan teams across the first half in Florence, and needed less than 13 minutes to find the lead against their local rivals: Kean couldn’t have asked for a simpler chance. 

Jack Harrison’s cross in from the right flank was headed clear by Rosen Bozhinov, but only as far as Cher Ndour on the follow-up. Simone Canestrelli made a mess of his attempted clearance of Ndour’s shot and inadvertently sent it into the path of Kean, who was unmarked less than 10 yards out from goal. 

Fagioli and Dodo tried to test goalkeeper Nicolas with a pair of shots from the edge of the area midway through the first half, but they were unable to find the target through a congested penalty area. 

Kean tried to find the back of the net with a header a few minutes before the interval, but got too far underneath Brescianini’s ball in from the left and saw his effort go over the crossbar for a goal-kick. 

Fagioli tested Nicolas from a free-kick from just over 25 yards out a few minutes after the break, but this was nothing that the Brazilian stopper wasn’t able to handle. 

Ndour saved his best attempt of the game for the 87th minute, rifling an effort towards the top corner of the net from the edge of the area, but Nicolas got a strong wrist behind it and sent it behind for a corner. 

Pisa were unable to register a shot on target across the 90 minutes. 

This result lifts Fiorentina out of the relegation zone and into 16th place, but are not entirely clear of danger just yet given that they are still level on points with Cremonese (17th) and Lecce (18th). 

Pisa remain stuck in 19th, on the same tally of points as Hellas Verona (20th). They remain nine points off safety after 26 matches. 

Fiorentina 1-0 Pisa 

Kean 13’. 

23-02-2026 17:30

MatchDay 26

Artemio Franchi Stadium

Fiorentina

Pisa

1 - 0

Player statistic

1st half

Moise Kean		13'
		37'		Antonio Caracciolo

2nd half

Dodô		47'
		62'		Marius Marin
		79'		Juan Cuadrado
Giovanni Fabbian		90+2'
Jacopo Fazzini		90+2'

Match statistic

56

Possession %

44

15

Total shots

7

5

Shots on target

1

6

Shots off target

5

4

Blocked shots

1

4

Corners

3

0

Offsides

2

8

Fouls

19

Fiorentina

Pisa

Starting lineups

43

David de Gea

Goalkeeper

2

Dodô

Defender

78'

65

Fabiano Parisi

Defender

6

Luca Ranieri

Defender

5

Marin Pongracic

Defender

27

Cher Ndour

Midfielder

4

Marco Brescianini

Midfielder

44

Nicolò Fagioli

Midfielder

88'

17

Jack Harrison

Attacker

19

Manor Solomon

Attacker

78'

20

Moise Kean

Attacker

86'

12

Nicolas

Goalkeeper

4

Antonio Caracciolo

Defender

35

Felipe Loyola

Defender

46'

2

Rosen Bozhinov

Defender

3

Samuele Angori

Defender

5

Simone Canestrelli

Defender

15

Idrissa Touré

Midfielder

68'

6

Marius Marin

Midfielder

81

Filip Stojilkovic

Attacker

46'

19

Samuel Iling-Junior

Attacker

46'

32

Stefano Moreo

Attacker

76'

Substitutes

10

Albert Gudmundsson

Attacker

3

Daniele Rugani

Defender

21

Robin Gosens

Midfielder

1

Luca Lezzerini

Goalkeeper

53

Oliver Christensen

Goalkeeper

29

Niccolò Fortini

Midfielder

60

Eddy Kouadio

Defender

62

Luis Balbo

Defender

63

Piergiorgio Bonanno

Midfielder

22

Jacopo Fazzini

Midfielder

78'

15

Pietro Comuzzo

Defender

78'

91

Roberto Piccoli

Attacker

86'

80

Giovanni Fabbian

Midfielder

88'

1

Adrian Šemper

Goalkeeper

7

Mehdi Léris

Attacker

33

Arturo Calabresi

Defender

10

Matteo Tramoni

Midfielder

39

Raúl Albiol

Defender

14

Ebenezer Akinsanmiro

Midfielder

26

Francesco Coppola

Defender

8

Malthe Höjholt

Midfielder

99

Lorran

Midfielder

34

Tommaso Guizzo

Goalkeeper

20

Michel Aebischer

Midfielder

46'

17

Rafiu Durosinmi

Attacker

46'

9

Henrik Meister

Attacker

46'

11

Juan Cuadrado

Midfielder

68'

36

Gabriele Piccinini

Attacker

76'

Riccardo Orsolini and Jonathan Rowe return to the Bologna attack as Vincenzo Italiano and his squad prepare to take on Udinese in Serie A on Monday evening. 

Bologna are coming in off the back of a 1-0 win away against Brann in the first leg of their Europa League play-off round tie on Thursday evening. The Rossoblu also picked up a 2–1 win over Torino in their most recent Serie A match, which ended a run of five league matches without a win. 

Vincenzo Italiano’s side currently find themselves in 10th place on 33 points from 25 matches ahead of kick-off. 

Udinese were beaten 2-1 at home against Sasuolo last time out in Serie A, which means that they are currently one point and one position behind Bologna ahead of kick-off on Monday night. 

Bologna have made plenty of changes from their Europa League victory on Thursday night. Five fresh faces come in with Joao Mario, Tommaso Pobega, Riccardo Orsolini, Simon Sohm and Jonathan Rowe all returning to the starting XI in place of Nadir Zortea, Nikola Moro, Lewis Ferguson, Federico Bernardeschi and Nicolo Cambiaghi. 

Udinese have made three personnel changes after their defeat against Sassuolo, with Kingsley Ehizibue, Jakub Piotorowski and Adam Buska coming in to replace Nicolo Bertola, Jurgen Ekkelenkamp and Vakoun Bayo. 

Kick-off is due at 19.45 GMT. 

Bologna vs. Udinese: Confirmed line-ups 

Bologna (4-2-3-1): Skorupski; J.Mario, Vitik, Lucumi, Miranda; Freuler, Pobega; Orsolini, Sohm, Rowe; Castro. 

Subs: Ravaglia, Pessina, Helland, Moro, Bernardeschi, Casale, Ferguson, Zortea, Odgaard, Dallinga, Cambiaghi, De Silvestri.

Udinese (3-5-2): Okoye; Solet, Kabasele, Kristensen; Ehizibue, Piotrowski, Karlström, Atta, Zemura; Zaniolo, Buksa.

Subs: Nunziante, Padelli, Zarraga, Gueye, Bertola, Bayo, Arizala, Mlačić, Camara, Ekkelenkamp, Miller.

23-02-2026 19:45

MatchDay 26

Renato Dall'Ara Stadium

Bologna

Udinese

1 - 0

Player statistic

2nd half

		62'		Adam Buksa
Juan Miranda		68'
Federico Bernardeschi		75'

Match statistic

46

Possession %

54

11

Total shots

10

6

Shots on target

3

3

Shots off target

3

2

Blocked shots

4

4

Corners

7

3

Offsides

3

10

Fouls

13

Bologna

Udinese

Starting lineups

1

Lukasz Skorupski

Goalkeeper

26

Jhon Lucumí

Defender

17

João Mário

Defender

33

Juan Miranda

Defender

82'

41

Martin Vitik

Defender

11

Jonathan Rowe

Midfielder

56'

8

Remo Freuler

Midfielder

23

Simon Sohm

Midfielder

4

Tommaso Pobega

Midfielder

56'

7

Riccardo Orsolini

Attacker

56'

9

Santiago Castro

Attacker

85'

40

Maduka Okoye

Goalkeeper

27

Christian Kabasele

Defender

80'

33

Jordan Zemura

Defender

19

Kingsley Ehizibue

Defender

28

Oumar Solet

Defender

10'

31

Thomas Kristensen

Defender

14

Arthur Atta

Midfielder

24

Jakub Piotrowski

Midfielder

8

Jesper Karlström

Midfielder

80'

10

Nicolò Zaniolo

Midfielder

18

Adam Buksa

Attacker

71'

Substitutes

29

Lorenzo De Silvestri

Defender

16

Nicolò Casale

Defender

13

Federico Ravaglia

Goalkeeper

21

Jens Odgaard

Attacker

19

Lewis Ferguson

Midfielder

25

Massimo Pessina

Goalkeeper

5

Eivind Helland

Defender

10

Federico Bernardeschi

Attacker

56'

28

Nicolò Cambiaghi

Attacker

56'

6

Nikola Moro

Midfielder

56'

20

Nadir Zortea

Defender

82'

24

Thijs Dallinga

Attacker

85'

93

Daniele Padelli

Goalkeeper

1

Alessandro Nunziante

Goalkeeper

15

Vakoun Bayo

Attacker

38

Lennon Miller

Midfielder

29

Abdoulaye Camara

Midfielder

20

Juan Arizala

Defender

22

Branimir Mlacic

Defender

13

Nicolò Bertola

Defender

10'

32

Jurgen Ekkelenkamp

Midfielder

71'

6

Oier Zarraga

Midfielder

80'

7

Idrissa Gueye

Attacker

80'

Torino have officially announced that Marco Baroni has been relieved of his duties as head coach, and have already appointed a replacement on a short-term contract for the remainder of the 2025-26 season. 

Baroni leaves the club in 15th place in the Serie A table on 27 points after 26 matches. Torino currently find themselves just three points above the relegation zone. 

Baroni oversaw just one win in his final seven matches in charge of Torino, with the final straw coming in a 3-0 defeat away against Genoa on Sunday afternoon. Toro were also eliminated by Inter in the Coppa Italia quarter-final and had been beaten 6-0 by Como in Serie A in the final weeks of Baroni’s tenure. 

“Torino Football Club announces that it has sacked Marco Baroni from the position of coach of the first team,” read a statement on the club website. 

“The Club thanks the coach and his staff for the activity carried out so far with commitment and fairness and wishes them the best in the continuation of their careers.” 

Torino hire D’Aversa to replace Baroni 

Torino have also announced on Monday that Roberto D’Aversa has been appointed to the role of head coach on a short-term contract until June 30, 2026. 

D’Aversa has been out of work since June 2025 following Empoli’s relegation to Serie B at the end of the 2024-25 campaign. He also has experiences with Lecce, where by coincidence he also replaced Marco Baroni, as well as Sampdoria and Parma. 

“Torino Football Club is pleased to announce that it has entrusted the management of the First Team to coach Roberto D’Aversa. The coach has signed a contract until June 30, 2026,” Torino confirmed.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek has shared pictures of the aftermath of his horror clash with Edorardo Corvi during Milan’s 1-0 loss against Parma on Sunday evening, and has given somewhat of a crooked smile after undergoing emergency surgery on his jaw on Monday. 

Loftus-Cheek was left with several missing teeth and a fracture of the alveolar bone in his jaw after a nasty coming together with goalkeeper Corvi 11 minutes into Sunday’s match in San Sirio. 

The former Chelsea, Crystal Palace and Fulham midfielder was stretchered off in a neck brace and was taken to a nearby medical facility for tests. He was taken to the specialist maxillofacial department at the San Paolo hospital in Milan on Monday, where he has since had surgery to repair the damage to his jaw. 

Milan have confirmed that they expect Loftus-Cheek to return to action in around eight weeks’ time. 

Pictures: Loftus-Cheek missing teeth after horror clash 

At the same time as Milan’s official statement on Monday afternoon, Loftus-Cheek also updated his followers on Instagram with a message that read: “It was a tough blow, but the worst is behind me. 

“A heartfelt thanks to all the medical staff who supported me over these past hours with professionalism and care. A special thanks to all the fans for your countless messages of love and support. I’ve read them, felt them, and they’ve given me incredible strength. 

“Thanks to my teammates: We are a team. We are a family. Now, forward towards our goals, strong and united. Together.” 

Loftus-Cheek has also shared a pair of ‘before and after’ photos of his face on Monday.

Paolo Vanoli has made wholesale changes to his Fiorentina side and has reintroduced Moise Kean in attack for the visit of Pisa in Serie A on Monday evening. 

The Viola return to league action following Thursday’s 3-0 Conference League victory over Jagiellonia in Poland. Vanoli’s side (18th) require three points this evening if they are to lift themselves above Pisa, who sit one position, but six points below them in the table (19th). 

Fiorentina are unbeaten in the month of February after a 2-2 draw against Torino and a 2-1 win over Como in recent weeks, while Pisa have only won one league match at all in 2025-26: A 1-0 win over Cremonese at the beginning of November. 

Kean was among the Fiorentina players to be rested on Thursday night, but returns to the attack on Monday along with Manor Solomon. Jack Harrison keeps his place in the front three. 

Cher Ndour is the only midfielder to keep his place in the starting XI, joined by Nicolo Fagioli and Marco Brescianini against Pisa. 

Pisa have made just two changes following their 2-1 defeat against Milan last weekend, with Samuel Iling-Junior and Marius Marin coming into the XI in place of Matteo Tramoni and Michel Aebischer. 

Kick-off is due at 17.30 GMT. 

Fiorentina vs. Pisa: Confirmed line-ups

Fiorentina (4-3-3): De Gea; Dodo; Pongracic, Ranieri, Parisi; Ndour, Fagioli, Brescianini; Harrison, Kean, Solomon. 

Subs: Lezzerini; Rugani, Gudmundsson, Comuzzo, Gosenz, Fazzini, Fortini, Balbo, Bonanno, Fabbian, Piccoli. 

Pisa (3-5-2): Nicolas; Canestrelli, Caracciolo, Bozhinov; Toure, Marin, Loyola, Angori; Moreo, Iling-Junior; Stojilkovic. 

Subs: Semper, Leris, Hojholt, Meister, Tramoni, Cuadrado, Akinsanmiro, Durosinmi, Aebischer, Coppola, Calabresi, Guizzo, Albiol, Lorran.

23-02-2026 17:30

MatchDay 26

Artemio Franchi Stadium

Fiorentina

Pisa

1 - 0

Player statistic

1st half

Moise Kean		13'
		37'		Antonio Caracciolo

2nd half

Dodô		47'
		62'		Marius Marin
		79'		Juan Cuadrado
Giovanni Fabbian		90+2'
Jacopo Fazzini		90+2'

Match statistic

56

Possession %

44

15

Total shots

7

5

Shots on target

1

6

Shots off target

5

4

Blocked shots

1

4

Corners

3

0

Offsides

2

8

Fouls

19

Fiorentina

Pisa

Starting lineups

43

David de Gea

Goalkeeper

2

Dodô

Defender

78'

65

Fabiano Parisi

Defender

6

Luca Ranieri

Defender

5

Marin Pongracic

Defender

27

Cher Ndour

Midfielder

4

Marco Brescianini

Midfielder

44

Nicolò Fagioli

Midfielder

88'

17

Jack Harrison

Attacker

19

Manor Solomon

Attacker

78'

20

Moise Kean

Attacker

86'

12

Nicolas

Goalkeeper

4

Antonio Caracciolo

Defender

35

Felipe Loyola

Defender

46'

2

Rosen Bozhinov

Defender

3

Samuele Angori

Defender

5

Simone Canestrelli

Defender

15

Idrissa Touré

Midfielder

68'

6

Marius Marin

Midfielder

81

Filip Stojilkovic

Attacker

46'

19

Samuel Iling-Junior

Attacker

46'

32

Stefano Moreo

Attacker

76'

Substitutes

10

Albert Gudmundsson

Attacker

3

Daniele Rugani

Defender

21

Robin Gosens

Midfielder

1

Luca Lezzerini

Goalkeeper

53

Oliver Christensen

Goalkeeper

29

Niccolò Fortini

Midfielder

60

Eddy Kouadio

Defender

62

Luis Balbo

Defender

63

Piergiorgio Bonanno

Midfielder

22

Jacopo Fazzini

Midfielder

78'

15

Pietro Comuzzo

Defender

78'

91

Roberto Piccoli

Attacker

86'

80

Giovanni Fabbian

Midfielder

88'

1

Adrian Šemper

Goalkeeper

7

Mehdi Léris

Attacker

33

Arturo Calabresi

Defender

10

Matteo Tramoni

Midfielder

39

Raúl Albiol

Defender

14

Ebenezer Akinsanmiro

Midfielder

26

Francesco Coppola

Defender

8

Malthe Höjholt

Midfielder

99

Lorran

Midfielder

34

Tommaso Guizzo

Goalkeeper

20

Michel Aebischer

Midfielder

46'

17

Rafiu Durosinmi

Attacker

46'

9

Henrik Meister

Attacker

46'

11

Juan Cuadrado

Midfielder

68'

36

Gabriele Piccinini

Attacker

76'

Milan have confirmed that midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek has undergone surgery, that he has been discharged and that he is expected to return to action in around eight weeks time after suffering a horror facial injury during Milan’s 1-0 loss against Parma in Serie A on Sunday evening. 

Milan give official Loftus-Cheek update

The former Chelsea, Crystal Palace and Fulham midfielder was stretchered off in a neck brace after a horror clash with Parma goalkeeper Edoardo Corvi just 11 minutes into Sunday’s loss in San Siro. 

Loftus-Cheek was immediately taken to the nearby San Carlo hospital for emergency tests, which confirmed that he has suffered a fracture to the alveolar bone in his jaw. The Englishman also lost several teeth during the incident according to reports in Italy. 

According to Sky Sport Italia, the initial plan was for Loftus-Cheek to have immediate surgery on Sunday evening, but this was eventually held off until Monday morning in order to arrange a surgical team at the San Paolo hospital in Milan, which houses a specialist maxillofacial department. 

Milan have since released a statement confirming that Loftus-Cheek underwent surgery on his jaw, that he has been discharged and that he is expected to return to action in around eight weeks. 

“AC Milan announce that Ruben Loftus-Cheek suffered a significant facial trauma yesterday, which resulted in a fracture of the alveolar process of the jaw,” read a statement on the club website. 

“The player was admitted to the Maxillofacial Surgery and Dental Clinic department of ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo, where today he underwent surgery performed by Dr. Luca Autelitano. The operation to reduce and stabilise the fracture was completely successful. Ruben is doing well and has already been discharged.

“The estimated recovery time is around eight weeks.”